A thousand gnats died clutching the skin of this small tree.
Their dried bodies point out the wind, wave like flags– or plastic bags.
.
A ladybug strolls by.
Life was a cherry, plucked and passionately devoured. I cursed the obstreperous seed for complicating the course of my lust. Now only the seed remains, smooth and undeniable.
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I have an idea for an 18-link poem in 3 sections of 6 alternating stanzas of 3 and 2 lines, as in renku, regay, etc., written by 3 poets, A, B, and C.
Poet A sets the foundation of the poem. Poets C and B determine the progression from that foundation. Poet A gets the last word.
That is:
§1: A3 B2 C3 A2 B3 C2;
§2: C3 A2 B3 C2 A3 B2;
§3: B3 C2 A3 B2 C3 A2.
Section 1
In stanza 1, Poet A sets forth a topic, idea, event, image, object, or mood that is collectively explored from different perspectives in the following 5 links of the section.
Section 2
Poet C is responsible for the transition from section 1 to section 2. Similarly to Poet A in stanza 1, the opening stanza of section 2 must present another topic, idea, event, image, object, or mood that will be explored in stanzas 8-12. Stanza 7 is not only a link from stanza 6. It must somehow create a progression from section 1.
Section 3
As section 2, but opened by Poet B.
Questions:
- Will there be closure, or will the end be left open?
- As elegant as this sounds, is it overly complex? Is there a simpler way to achieve the same thing?
Let’s find out by trying it.
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The linked poetry I want to write is inspired by Japanese linked forms. The primary goal for me is to take them as inspiration and to experiment freely. The basic form is groups of 3- and 2-line stanzas.
Forms of linked poetry I’d like to try, over Twitter or otherwise:
More “twenga” – 36-link kasen renku for 3 poets. I’d also like to try it for 9 poets (suggested by Kris Lindbeck). Each poet is concerned only with the preceding link. ”Link and shift” is the basic organizing principle.
Rengay (both 2 and 3 poet forms). As I understand it, each rengay has a theme.
Themeless rengay (both 2 and 3 poet forms). Let us, by experiment, find out if there is a mechanical reason why Mr. Gay made theme a component of the rengay.
“12 by 2″ – a 12-link poem by 2 poets. The form of the rengay done twice in one poem. Theme or no theme. For the second 6 links the poets switch order. Poet A writes links 1 and 12. Poet B writes links 6 and 7.
“12 by 3″ – as 12 by 2, but with 3 poets. Theme or no theme. For links 7-12, poets switch order. I’m open to any and all possible orders for links 7-12 (BCA, BAC, CAB, CBA).
“18 by 3″ – as 12 by 3, but poets switch order twice. Three sections of 6 links. Each gets a chance to lead and to close. Grouping 1: ABCABC, CABCAB, BCABCA. Grouping 2: ABCABC, BCABCA, CABCAB. Grouping 1 seems elegant in that A opens and closes the poem and B and C each get consecutive stanzas at the two transition points.
Questions I have about 12×2, 12×3, and 18×3:
If no further order is imposed, does the order itself, and switching the order, promote interesting dialogue between contributors?
Is there a compelling reason for further organizing principles? One attractive example that could shed some light is for the 1st Grouping of 18×3: The leader of section 1 (poet A) sets forth a topic, idea, event, or object that is collectively explored from different perspectives in the following 5 links of the section. As poet C is responsible for closing section 1, so is she responsible for opening section 2. The opening stanza of section 2 must present another topic, idea, event, or object that is explored in the same manner. This stanza must develop or relate in a meaningful way to the topic, idea, event, or object of the previous section, not just link from stanza 6. Poet B, who closes section 2, repeats this process for the opening stanza of the third section. Poet A, who does not control the transition stanzas (6-7 & 12-13), but who is responsible for establishing the foundation of the poem in stanza 1, gets the last word in stanza 18. As elegant as this sounds, is it overly complex? Is there a simpler way to achieve the same thing
And so forth.
The linked poetry I want to write is inspired by Japanese linked forms. The primary goal for me is to take them as inspiration and to experiment freely. The basic form is groups of 3- and 2-line stanzas.
Forms of linked poetry I’d like to try, over Twitter or otherwise:
- More “twenga” – 36-link kasen renku for 3 poets. I’d also like to try it for 9 poets (suggested by Kris Lindbeck). Each poet is concerned only with the preceding link. ”Link and shift” is the basic organizing principle.
- Rengay (both 2 and 3 poet forms). As I understand it, each rengay has a theme.
- Themeless rengay (both 2 and 3 poet forms). Let us, by experiment, find out if there is a mechanical reason why Mr. Gay made theme a component of the rengay.
- “12 by 2″ – a 12-link poem by 2 poets. The form of the rengay done twice in one poem. Theme or no theme. For the second 6 links the poets switch order. Poet A writes links 1 and 12. Poet B writes links 6 and 7.
- “12 by 3″ – as 12 by 2, but with 3 poets. Theme or no theme. For links 7-12, poets switch order. I’m open to any and all possible orders for links 7-12 (BCA, BAC, CAB, CBA).
- “18 by 3″ – as 12 by 3, but poets switch order twice. More detail.
Questions I have about 12×2, 12×3, and 18×3:
- If no further order is imposed, does the order itself, and switching the order, promote interesting dialogue between contributors?
- Is there a compelling reason for further organizing principles?
And so forth.
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This is the first linked poetry that we conducted on Twitter (twenga), from 2009 9/23 – 30. It consists of 36 links by 3 poets. First in the rotation is Kris Lindbeck, second is me, third is Tetsubishi.
1 bright thunderheads shining in a softer sun ignoring winter kl 2 holiday parade lights spill over their eager faces p 3 upon the river a thousand lanterns flicker, souls drifting seaward t 4 on water's dark rumpled silk lamp light, moonlight, starlight kl 5 surprised, he notes the distance to the shore and takes her hand p 6 her fiance's diamond ring sharp against his fingers t 7 a tiny pain defining sorrow: clouds hide the sun kl 8 still hunched over her spelling; mother turns the desk lamp on p 9 the pen's thready scrape like barren winter twigs against the window t 10 the page a snowy plain crisscrossed by black birds kl 11 words slip from her mouth and drop quickly underfoot never to return p 12 rivers do not flow backward; clouds do not fight the wind t 13 gazing at bamboo I feel it brush my face a spiderweb kl 14 after giving up on ladybugs one alights on my open palm p 15 a bright spark of life, no less fragile and perfect than my own t 16 silver cricket song on this sea breeze evening kl 17 stirred from sleep, a row of palms strikes up a tune p 18 the coming storm still distant, a bruise on the horizon t 19 lightning, after four breaths, thunder a fitful breeze kl 20 on the sun-baked hillside a still white flower p 21 the tiny, pale hand of a doll - lost? abandoned? - in the sere grasses t 22 matted hair, dusty eyes yet once a child loved her kl 23 empty bottles: sour catalogue of fruitless search p 24 no djinn to wish away pain only absinthe's green fairy t 25 at the café the cold granite table a sneering waiter kl 26 in his footsteps the specter of unspoken words p 27 crunch of dead leaves there is nothing left to say not even Goodbye t 28 the pear trees red and gold the oak just turning kl 29 cold autumn sky: overhead wires frame the restless clouds p 30 row of doves packed wing-to-wing feathers puffed against the wind t 31 in Hebrew they call this a "lying sun" it brings no heat kl 32 in cold truth there is fire p 33 a paper house burned with a few ill-chosen words crumbles in silence t 34 sunrise shines rose and yellow over the damp ashes kl 35 last night's beach bonfire; footprints lead away in all directions p 36 one trail curves into the surf and does not emerge t
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